Pregnancy and the flu

Definition

During pregnancy, it is harder for a woman's immune system to fight infections. This makes a pregnant woman more likely to get the flu and other diseases.

Pregnant women are more likely than other nonpregnant women their age to become very ill if they get the flu. If you are pregnant, you need to take special steps to stay healthy during the flu season.

This article gives you information about the flu and pregnancy. It is not a substitute for medical advice from your health care provider. If you think you have the flu, you should contact your health care provider’s office immediately.

Alternative Names

Information

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF FLU DURING PREGNANCY?

Flu symptoms are the same for everyone and include:

Cough

Sore throat

Runny nose

Fever of 100 °F or above

Other symptoms may include body aches, headache, fatigue, vomiting, and diarrhea

SHOULD I GET THE FLU VACCINE IF I AM PREGNANT?

If you are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, you should get the flu vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers pregnant women a higher risk for getting the flu and developing flu-related complications.

Pregnant women who get the flu shot get sick less often. They are also very unlikely to get a bad case of the flu that can harm them or their baby.

Getting a mild case of the flu is often not harmful to mother or child. However, the flu shot can prevent the rare severe cases of the flu that can harm mother and baby.

Flu vaccines are available at most health care provider offices and health clinics. There are two types of flu vaccines: the flu shot and a nose-spray vaccine.

The flu shot is recommended for pregnant women. It contains killed (inactive) viruses. You cannot get the flu from this vaccine.

The nasal spray-type flu vaccine is not approved for pregnant women.

It is OK for a pregnant woman to be around somebody who has received the nasal flu vaccine.

WILL THE VACCINE HARM MY BABY?

A small amount of mercury (called thimerosal) is a common preservative in multidose vaccines. Despite concerns, vaccines that contain this substance have NOT been shown to cause autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

If you have concerns about mercury, ask your health care provider about a preservative-free vaccine. All routine vaccines are also available without added thimerosal. The CDC says pregnant women may get flu shots either with or without thimerosal.

WHAT ABOUT SIDE EFFECTS OF THE VACCINE?

Common side effects of the flu shot are mild, but can include:

Redness or tenderness where the shot was given

Headache

Muscle ache

Fever

Nausea and vomiting

If side effects occur, they most often begin soon after the shot. They may last as long as 1 - 2 days. If you have side effects that last longer than 2 days, you should call your doctor.

HOW DO I TREAT THE FLU IF I'M PREGNANT?

Experts recommend treating pregnant women with flu-like illness as soon as possible after they develop symptoms.

Testing is not needed for most people. Health care providers should not wait for results of testing before treating pregnant women.

It is best to start antiviral medications within the first 48 hours of developing symptoms, but they can also be used after this time period. Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) 75-mg capsule twice per day for 5 days is the recommended first choice antiviral.

WILL ANTIVIRAL MEDICATIONS HARM MY BABY?

You may be worried about the medicines harming your baby. However, it is important to realize there are severe risks if you do not get treatment:

In past flu outbreaks, pregnant women who were otherwise healthy were more likely than those who were not pregnant to become very sick or even die.

This does not mean that all pregnant women will have a severe infection, but it is hard to predict who will become very ill. Women who become more ill with flu will have mild symptoms at first.

Pregnant women can become very sick very fast, even if the symptoms are not bad at first.

Women who develop high fevers or pneumonia are at higher risk for early labor or delivery and other harm.

DO I NEED AN ANTIVIRAL DRUG IF I HAVE BEEN AROUND SOMEONE WITH THE FLU?

You are more likely to get the flu if you have close contact with someone who already has it.

Close contact means:

Eating or drinking with the same utensils

Caring for children who are sick with the flu

Being near the droplets or secretions from someone who sneezes, coughs, or has a runny nose

If you have been around someone who has the flu, ask your health care provider if you need an antiviral drug.

WHAT TYPES OF COLD MEDICINE CAN I TAKE FOR THE FLU IF I'M PREGNANT?

Many cold medicines contain more than one type of medicine. Some may be safer than others, but none are proven 100% safe. In general, it is best to avoid cold medicines, if possible, especially during the first 3 - 4 months of pregnancy.

To be safe, talk to your health care provider before taking any cold medicines while you are pregnant.

WHAT ELSE CAN I DO TO PROTECT MYSELF AND MY BABY FROM THE FLU?

There are many things you can do to help protect yourself and your unborn child from flu.

Version Info

Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director and Director of Didactic Curriculum, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Bethanne Black, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch)